Snubbed spring group



June 1956 J. J. KOWALIK 2,749,113

SNUBBED SPRING GROUP Filed May 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

55 101441 ffiauzalik 0,6, M

June 5, 1956 J. J. KOWALIK 2,749,113

SNUBBEID SPRING GROUP Filed May 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nited SNUBBED SPRlN G GROUP Application May 10, 1952, Serial No. 287,095

19 Claims. (Cl. 267--9) The invention relates to a spring group and more particularly to a novel snubbing device associated therewith.

A general object of the invention is to provide a spring group having a snubbing device wherein several friction shoes are operated by a single spring.

Another general object of the invention is to provide a snubbing device for a spring group having a pair of friction shoes wedged in opposed directions, thus providing identical snubbing action for relative motion of the spring group in both directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snubbing device for a spring group wherein equal pressure is applied to a pair of friction shoes. I

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and inexpensive snubbing device for a spring group.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description and by an examination of the concerned drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention, a half section being taken along the line 11 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a side elevational, sectional view, taken along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the friction shoe utilized in Figures 1 to 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 5-5 and 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the friction device illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational sectional view of the wedge utilized in the embodiment of Figure 7, and

Figure 9 is a detailed view of the friction shoe utilized in the embodiment of Figure 7.

In the various figures, certain structural details have been omitted to clarify the showing where it is believed an adequate illustration is made in other figures.

Describing the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the spring group consists of a top plate 2 having a flange 4 peripherally depending therefrom. Said flange arcuately defines spring seats 6, disposed quadrantally at the four corners of said top plate 2. A lower or bottom plate 8, having peripheral flanges 9 defining quadrantally disposed spring seats ill, is positioned in spaced vertical alignment with the top plate 2. Sets of coil springs 14 are received and seated at opposite ends thereof between spring seats 6 and it? of the upper and lower plates, respectively, thereby flexibly accommodating relative movement between said top and bottom plate. Positioning lugs 16 and 18 are formed on the. remote faces of the bottom and top plates, respectively, and afford means to attach said spring group to a related side frame and bolster of a railway car truck, said spring group offering flexible support for said bolster.

atent O A snubbing device, generally designated 20, is arranged centrally of the group and intermediate the plates 2 and 8. On the lower plate 8, the device consists of a pocket 22 of rectangular form in horizontal cross section and comprising the longitudinal walls 24 interconnected at opposite ends by the transverse walls 26. The peripheral flanges 9, of the lower plate 8, converge inboardly of said plate to merge gusset-like with the areas of juncture of the walls 24 and 26, as at 25, thus adding strength and rigidity to the pocket 22. Friction plates 28 may be secured, as by welding to the adjacent faces of the transverse walls 26. The upper plate 2, of the preferred form of the snubbing device, carries wedge means consisting of a pair of transversely spaced wedge posts 30 depending from said upper plate and, in the assembled condition, partially extending into the pocket 22 of the lower plate 8. Each wedge post 30 presents an upper actuating surface 32 and the lower actuating surface 34, said upper and lower surfaces defining parallel planes, said planes being in inclined or angular relationship to the longitudinal walls 24 and the transverse walls 26, as well as the upper and lower plates 2 and 3. Strength and rigidity may be added to each wedge post 30, as best seen in Figures 5 and 6, by the flange plate 36 which merges with said wedge on the outboard side thereof and is integral with, and depending from, the top plate 2. The gusset plates 38, which connect the top plate 2, and the flange 4, and the outboard face of the flange plate 36, also add strength to the structure.

Figure 4 shows the friction shoe or casting 40 employed in the preferred embodiment of applicants invention shown in Figures 1 to 3. The shoe 40 consists of a friction plate 42 having spaced parallel legs 43 extending from the plate and defining wedge surfaces 44, in inclined or angular relation to the friction surface 42. Adjacent one side of the plate 42, and intermediate the legs 43, a recess 45 is formed, which offers clearance for an actuating spring which seats on the spring seat 46, formed integral with the shoe and normal to the plate 40. Support flanges 47 integrally depend from the spring seat 4-6 to merge with the plate 42 and the legs 43.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, a pair of the above described shoes 40 are positioned in the spring group in inverted relationship, one of said shoes having the wedge surfaces 44 in planed engagement with the upper actuating surface 32 of the wedge 36, and the other shoe 40 having the wedge surfaces 44 engaging the lower actuating surfaces 34 of the wedges 30. In this position, the friction shoes are in opposed relation, and the spring seats 46 of the shoes are in vertical alignment. Spring means 48, indicated by symbol in Figures 2 and 3, may be of the compressed coiled helical type. The compressed spring means are positioned intermediate and abutting the spring seats 46 urging the shoes 40 vertically away from each other and the related wedge surfaces of each shoe toward each other and toward the wedge means 30.

In operation of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the vertical urging of the spring 48 causes the shoes 49 to move into wedged engagement with the wedge means 395 The wedging action urges the shoes outwardly along the actuating surfaces 32 and 34 of the wedge means 30 and into frictional engagement with the related friction plates 28 of the lower plate 8. The resulting frictional engagement between the friction shoes and friction plates is operative to choke or 'snub relative movement between the upper plate 2 and the lower plate 8.

Due to the utilization of a single spring, the frictional pressure exerted by the shoes is substantially equal. In addition, the opposed wedging feature insures identical snubbing action on both closing and opening movements of the spring group.

Figures 7, S and 9 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the numerals utilized in Figure l to 6 are used to indicate corresponding parts, except where structural differences require additional identification.

The wedge means 5t utilized in this embodiment, depends from the upper plate 2 in a manner substantially similar to that of the wedge means 3-0 in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. However, the wedge is of unitary construction between the supporting flange plates 36, 36 and contains a clearance hole or slot 52, defined on its upper end adjacent the top plate 2, as best seen in Figure 8.

Figure 9 illustrates a side view of the friction shoe or casting 54, modified to fit the operative requirements of the embodiment of Figure 7. Note should be taken that the friction shoe 54 is substantially similar in construction to the shoe 40, shown in Figure 4 except that the retaining plate 56 is integrally formed and normal to the plate 42 and is without supporting flanges.

A pair of the friction shoes 54 are positioned in the snubbing device in inverted relationship, one having the wedge surfaces 44 abutting the upper actuating surface 32 and the other having wedge surfaces 44 abutting the lower actuating surfaces 34. The retaining plates 56 of the respective shoes 54 are thus in spaced, parallel, vertical alignment with the wedge 50 disposed in diagonal relation intermediate said retaining plates.

Spring means 58, of non-metallic resilient material, may be positioned in a compressed condition intermediate each actuating surface 32 and 34 of the wedge 50 and the adjacent plates 56 and 42 of the related friction shoe 54. In this embodiment, the material used is rubber of a triangular form in cross section.

In the operation of the embodiment of Figure 7, the compressed rubber springs 58 are operative to exert pressure in all directions. Hence, each spring means 58 is operative to urge the adjacent plate 42 directly into frictional engagement with the related friction plate 38, and also to exert direct pressure on the adjacent retaining plate 56 of the opposed friction shoe 54, thus wedging the 1 opposed shoe into frictional engagement with the related friction plate 28. Thus it is understood that each rubber spring means 58 performs the double function of urging the adjacent shoe and the opposed shoe into frictional engagement with the friction plates 28 associated with each shoe.

I claim:

1. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, coiled springs and a friction device therebetween, said friction device comprising a pocket defined by walls extending from the bottom plate and disposed centrally thereon, friction plates disposed on opposed faces of some of said walls, wedge means depending from said top plate and partially disposed within said pocket and presenting actuating surfaces on the remote sides thereof, said surfaces being vertically aligned in spaced relation and disposed in inclined relation to said friction plates, a friction shoe abutting each of the actuating surfaces and engaging the related friction plate, and spring means between said shoes operative to maintain frictional engagement between each of said shoes and the related friction plate.

7.. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, coiled springs disposed at the four corners of said plates therebetween, friction surfaces upstanding from one of said plates, wedge means comprising at least one wedge wall integral with said other plate and in angular relation to said friction surfaces, wedge surfaces on opposite sides of said wedge wall in vertical spaced relation to each other, a pair of friction shoes wedged downwardly and upwardly, respectively, with said wedge surfaces and the related friction surface, and spring means acting on both of said shoes and operative to urge said shoes to engage said surfaces.

3. In a spring group for a railway car truck, spaced top and bottom plates, coiled springs adjacent each corner of said plates and disposed therebetween, wedge means intermediate said springs and depending from one of said plates, said wedge means comprising vertically spaced wedge surfaces, friction surfaces connected to the other plate and arranged to partially embrace said wedge means, friction shoes disposed on diametrically opposed sides of said wedge means and in inclined planed engagement with the wedge surfaces, and spring means abutting said friction shoes and operative to urge at least one of said shoes along said wedge means.

4. in a spring plate for a spring group, a plate member, wedge means integral with said plate member, said Wedge means comprising a plurality of posts depending from the plate, said posts being in spaced relation on the plate, parallel upper and lower wedge surfaces on each post in angular relation to the member, said upper wedge surfaces being coplanar and said lower wedge surfaces being coplanar.

5. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, coiled springs disposed quadrantally on said plates and conined therebetween, wedge means having its upper end integral with the bottom side of said top plate and disposed in spaced relation to the transverse, vertical, center plane of said group, said wedge means comprising parallel wedge surfaces in inclined relation to said top plate, parallel friction surfaces upstanding from said bottom plate and partially embracing said wedge means, at least one friction shoe engaging each of said friction surfaces, said shoes being arranged on opposite sides of said wedge means in opposed relation and engaging said wedge surfaces, and spring means operatively engaging both of said shoes and without direct connection to the top and bottom plates.

6. in a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, at coiied spring therebetween, a friction device disposed be tween said plates, said device comprising spaced opposed friction surfaces on one of said plates, a wedge wall, integral with the other of said plates, said wedge wall having parallel wedge surfaces on diametrically opposed sides thereof, said wedge surfaces converging toward the friction surfaces, a friction shoe engaging each of said wedge surfaces and abutting one of the friction surfaces, and spring means disposed between said shoes and operative to move the same outwardly from each other.

7. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, resilient means and a friction device therebetween, oppositely facing friction surfaces on one of said plates, spaced parallel flat wedge surfaces on the other plate adjacent each friction surface, facing the same and in inclined relation therewith, a friction shoe wedged upwardly between one of said wedge surfaces and the related friction surface, another friction shoe wedged downwardly between other of said wedge surfaces and the related friction surface, and spring means acting between said friction shoes and operative to maintain each of said shoes in frictional engagement with the related friction surface.

8. In a spring group, spaced parallel plates, quadrantally disposed coiled springs intermediate said plates, 21 friction device intermediate said plates and said springs, spaced parallel friction surfaces on one of said plates, wedge means comprising a wall having friction surfaces on opposite sides thereof, said wall extending from the other of said plates intermediate said friction surfaces and in inclined relation with said plates and said surfaces, friction shoes disposed on opposite sides of said wedge means and in wedged engagement therewith, and spring means disposed intermediate said shoes and operative to urge said shoes outwardly and into frictional engagement with said friction surfaces.

9. A spring group, according to claim 8, wherein said wedge means comprises spaced wedges disposed to embrace said spring means.

I(). A spring group, according to claim 9, wherein said spring means consists of a coiled spring compressively disposed between said friction shoes.

11. A spring group, according to claim 8, wherein said wedge means consists of a unitary wedge member.

12. A spring group, according to claim 11, wherein said spring means comprises at least one spring composed of non-metallic, flexible, material resiliently engaging said friction shoes.

13. A spring group, according to claim 11, wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of non-metallic, resilient springs engaging said wedge member and said friction shoes.

14. In a spring group, spaced parallel piates, coiled springs disposed intermediate said plates and at the four corners of the group, a friction device disposed intermediate said plates and centrally thereof, said device comprising spaced parallel friction surfaces upstanding from one of said plates, wedge means integral with the other of said plates disposed intermediate and having inclined relation to said surfaces, said wedge means comprising wedge surfaces in vertical spaced relation, friction shoes in opposing wedged engagement with said wedge surfaces and said friction surfaces, and spring means between said shoes opcrative to maintain said wedged engagement.

15. A spring group, according to claim 14, wherein said spring means comprises at least one spring engaging said wedge means and at least one of said shoes.

16. A friction device comprising followers relatively movable toward and away from each other, opposed friction surfaces on one of the followers, friction means comprising a pair of shoes between said surfaces, at least one wedge wall connected to the other follower and extending between said shoes, one of said shoes having a spring seat at one side of said wall and having wedge means in engagement with said wall at the opposite side thereof along an area thereof inclined with respect to one surface, the other shoe having a spring seat at said opposite side of the wall and having wedge means in engagement with said wall at said one side thereof along an area thereof inclined with respect to the other surface, and spring means acting against said seats for urging the shoes in opposite directions along said wall to engage said shoes with respective surfaces.

17. A spring group according to claim 5, wherein the spring means is compressed between the shoes.

18. A spring group according to claim 17, wherein the spring means consists of a coiled spring.

19. in a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, a plurality of springs disposed therebetween, vertical friction surfaces integrally carried by one of said plates, a Wedge wall carried by the other of said plates and depending therefrom in an angular relationship to said plate and said vertical friction surfaces and having on opposed sides thereof friction surfaces, friction shoes having friction surfaces thereon disposed on opposed sides of said wedge wall and interlocking said wall, resilient means disposed between said wedge wall and said shoes offering pressure therebetween so that the friction surface of the bottom shoe engages the top friction surface of the wedge wall and the friction surface of the top shoe engages the bottom friction surface of the wedge wall,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

1,809,908 Olander June 16, 1931 1,985,369 Fuchs Dec. 25, 1934 2,427,864 Lehrman et a1 Sept. 23, 1947 2,481,030 Link Sept. 6, 1949 2,483,171 Bachman Sept. 27, 1949 2,483,181 Clasen Sept. 27, 1949 2,528,473 Kowalik Oct. 31, 1950 

